Aspergillus, Rhizopus, Mucor and Penicillium fungi spoil pickles, chutneys, jams, jellies etc. Aspergillus flavus produces mycotoxins in food. Toxic food damages the liver, lungs and kidneys.

The fungus Saprolegnia parasitica causes salmon disease of carp and reduces production.

Mucor, Rhizopus, Cercospora etc. fungi attack different types of diseases in domestic animals. Aspergillus funigatus causes abortion in poultry and birds. Microsporium canis causes ringworm in dogs and horses. In 1722, hundreds of Peter the Great’s horses died from eating rye plants infected with argot disease.

Diseases like blight, blight, rot, mildew etc. of crop plants are caused by fungi.
(i) Helminthosporium oryzae fungus causes white or brown spot disease of rice. Due to this disease in 1942 there was a famine in then Bengal. The fungus Pyricularia oryzae causes blast disease of rice.
(ii) Phytophthora infestans fungus causes late blight of potato. The disease caused a famine in Ireland in 1843-47 and killed one million people. The fungus Alternaria solani causes early blight disease of potato.
(iii) Rust disease of wheat is caused by the fungus Puccinia graminis tritici. The fungus Erysiphe graminis tritici causes powdery mildew disease of wheat.
(iv) Peter the Great invaded Türkiye in 1722. There, hundreds of his horses were paralyzed and many died after eating argot-infested rye.
(v) Red rot disease of sugarcane is caused by the fungus Colletotrichum falcatum.
(vi) The fungus Exobasidium vexans causes blight disease of tea.

Fungal diseases are collectively called mycosis and aspergillosis.
(i) Trichoderma Candida fungus causes disease in human penis.
(ii) Aspergillus flavus and Blastomyces dermatitidis fungi cause pulmonary coccidiomycosis. This disease is known as Kalifornia fever.
(iii) Candida albicans fungus causes candidiasis of nose, mouth and throat.
(iv) Microsporium fungus causes baldness.
(v) Fungal skin diseases are called dermatomycosis. The fungus Trichophyton rubrum causes ringworm in humans.
(vi) Bronchomycosis in humans is caused by the fungus Absidia corymbifera.
(vii) Mucor and Rhizopus fungi cause zygomycosis in human brain, lungs and alimentary canal.
(viii) Alternaria, Aspergillus, Fusarium and Hormodendrum fungi cause allergies in humans.

1. Human diseases: Fungal diseases are collectively called mycosis and aspergillosis.
(i) Trichoderma Candida fungus causes disease in human penis.
(ii) Aspergillus flavus and Blastomyces dermatitidis fungi cause pulmonary coccidiomycosis. This disease is known as Kalifornia fever.
(iii) Candida albicans fungus causes candidiasis of nose, mouth and throat.
(iv) Microsporium fungus causes baldness.
(v) Fungal skin diseases are called dermatomycosis. The fungus Trichophyton rubrum causes ringworm in humans.
(vi) Bronchomycosis in humans is caused by the fungus Absidia corymbifera.
(vii) Mucor and Rhizopus fungi cause zygomycosis in human brain, lungs and alimentary canal.
(viii) Alternaria, Aspergillus, Fusarium and Hormodendrum fungi cause allergies in humans.
2. Plant diseases: Diseases like blight, blight, rot, mildew etc. of crop plants are caused by fungi.
(i) Helminthosporium oryzae fungus causes white or brown spot disease of rice. Due to this disease in 1942 there was a famine in then Bengal. The fungus Pyricularia oryzae causes blast disease of rice.
(ii) Phytophthora infestans fungus causes late blight of potato. The disease caused a famine in Ireland in 1843-47 and killed one million people. The fungus Alternaria solani causes early blight disease of potato.
(iii) Rust disease of wheat is caused by the fungus Puccinia graminis tritici. The fungus Erysiphe graminis tritici causes powdery mildew disease of wheat.
(iv) Peter the Great invaded Türkiye in 1722. There, hundreds of his horses were paralyzed and many died after eating argot-infested rye.
(v) Red rot disease of sugarcane is caused by the fungus Colletotrichum falcatum.
(vi) The fungus Exobasidium vexans causes blight disease of tea.
3. Animal diseases : Mucor, Rhizopus, Cercospora etc. fungi attack different types of diseases in domestic animals. Aspergillus funigatus causes abortion in poultry and birds. Microsporium canis causes ringworm in dogs and horses. In 1722, hundreds of Peter the Great’s horses died from eating rye plants infected with argot disease.
4. Fish diseases: The fungus Saprolegnia parasitica causes salmon disease of carp and reduces production.
5. Taxin of food : Aspergillus, Rhizopus, Mucor and Penicillium fungi spoil pickles, chutneys, jams, jellies etc. Aspergillus flavus produces mycotoxins in food. Toxic food damages the liver, lungs and kidneys.
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6. Taxicity: Some species of Amanita and Agaricus are very poisonous. Eating these fungi can cause death to people.
7. Destruction of daily use items
(i) Fungi like Penicillium, Fusarium, Alternaria etc. destroy books and paper.
(ii) Cameras, microscopes, spectacle lenses, radios, televisions etc. are affected by fungi.
(iii) Wood and wooden furniture are damaged by fungi.
8. Ledar demase : Aspergillus fungus damages leather and leather products.
9. Wood demase : Fungi like Polyporus, Poria, Serpula etc. damage wood.
10. Culture media destroyed: Penicillium destroys growth through bacterial culture in the laboratory.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains AH-109, PJ69-4 alpha, Y187 etc. are used in advanced research in molecular biology. Besides, Saccharomyces, Ascobolus, Neurospora etc. are used in genetic research.

Fungi detoxify the environment by breaking down the pollutants in the environment. This process is called Bioremediation. Fungi break down waste materials and return carbon and other elements to the environment which are then used by green plants. As a result, the environment remains clean and safe for living organisms.

Fungi live as cohabitants in lichens. Lichens play an important role in weathering rocks. Crushed rock contributes to soil formation.

The role of fungi in industry is-
(i) Various species of Saccharomyces are used in making vitamin B and C in bread, cake, gheeserin etc. It is used to flavor chocolate made from cocoa beans.
(ii) Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus oryzae fungi are widely used in alcohol production.
(iii) Saccharomyces are used to produce alcohol from sugarcane, dates, palm and grapes in the fermentation process.
(iv) Penicillium camemberti and Penicillium rosqueferti are used to make sourdough cheese.
(v) Mucor rouxii is used to break down sugar to produce sugar.
(vi) Odium lactis species of fungus is used to make plastics.
(vii) Organic acids, vitamins and enzymes are produced from Aspergillus and Penicillium fungi.
(viii) Saccharomyces are widely used in bakery to make bread and cakes. That is why it is called Brewer’s yeast.